A Journey of Serendipity: India to Monterey

Subbha Padmanabhan is an MBA student at the Institute.

February 3, 2014

Subbha had always wanted to seek "some sort of overseas learning experience." She grew up in India, got her first master’s degree from Chennai University in Chennai, India, and her first career job was in software development management in India. But she continued to set her sights on international travel.

Japan was her first trip abroad, and Subbha recalls knowing she “had gotten the first step right in terms of starting an international career.” Visiting Japan, Subbha explained, was a “first for so many things. I was in awe of everything I saw.” For all the differences she experienced, she also felt cultural similarities between Indian and Japanese culture, which sparked her curiosity for further international exploration. She explained, “I have to keep growing. I’m always ready to change, never resistant to change.”

“I have to keep growing. I’m always ready to change, never resistant to change.”

On subsequent business trips, including one to the San Francisco Bay Area, she gained insights into international business practices and state of the art technology and honed her intercultural skills through working with colleagues and clients from around the world.

Though successful in her career in software management, Subbha was eventually ready for something new. She decided to switch paths and pursue a career in finance management and human resources. She enrolled in our Fisher MBA program with a specialization in finance and management.

Asked why she chose the Institute over hundreds of other MBA programs, Subbha answered, “The courses offered are different [than other MBA programs], there’s a focus on intercultural communication and language. It is amazing to see people from so many different countries and cultures. In class, you talk about particular topics and you see how they differ in each culture. That’s very interesting to me. It's almost like going to each of those countries by just sitting here [in Monterey].”

"It is amazing to see people from so many different countries and cultures... It's almost like going to each of those countries by just sitting here [in Monterey]."

Now living in Monterey, she hasn’t lost her core value of always being open to new things. Her advice to those pursuing an international career? “Keep growing continuously."

Fast Fact: 30% of students at the Institute are International, and almost all have traveled abroad! Find out more >>